Diana Taurasi

Phoenix Mercury guard Diana Taurasi used a rather interesting intimidation tactic during Thursday's 85-62 loss to the Minnesota Lynx in the Western Conference Finals opener. Here's how it went down. Taurasi slammed her shoulder into Lynx guard/forward Seimone Augustus. Augustus responded by bodying up Taurasi. Taurasi then kissed Augustus on the cheek. Now that's some tough love. Both players were assessed a personal foul on the rather intimate encounter, but they had a sense of humor about the incident when questioned about it after the game.

Phoenix Mercury guard Diana Taurasi used a rather interesting intimidation tactic during Thursday's 85-62 loss to the Minnesota Lynx in the Western Conference Finals opener. Here's how it went down. Taurasi slammed her shoulder into Lynx guard/forward Seimone Augustus. Augustus responded by bodying up Taurasi. Taurasi then kissed Augustus on the cheek. Now that's some tough love. Both players were assessed a personal foul on the rather intimate encounter, but they had a sense of humor about the incident when questioned about it after the game.

Diana Taurasi, who has led the Phoenix Mercury to the Western Conference finals, has been selected to the All-WNBA team for the eighth time, tying the record of former Sparks star Lisa Leslie. Joining Taurasi on the All-WNBA first team are league MVP Candace Parker of the Sparks and Maya Moore of the Minnesota Lynx at forward, Lindsay Whalen of Minnesota at guard and Sylvia Fowles of the Chicago Sky at center. The team was chosen by a panel of media members. Taurasi has averaged 20.3 points, 6.2 assists and 4.2 rebounds in 32.3 minutes a game this season.

Diana Taurasi, who has led the Phoenix Mercury to the Western Conference finals, has been selected to the All-WNBA team for the eighth time, tying the record of former Sparks star Lisa Leslie. Joining Taurasi on the All-WNBA first team are league MVP Candace Parker of the Sparks and Maya Moore of the Minnesota Lynx at forward, Lindsay Whalen of Minnesota at guard and Sylvia Fowles of the Chicago Sky at center. The team was chosen by a panel of media members. Taurasi has averaged 20.3 points, 6.2 assists and 4.2 rebounds in 32.3 minutes a game this season.

It was as if Diana Taurasi had stepped through a wildly unpredictable looking glass. Last December, the women's basketball star received a phone call from her team in Turkey telling her she had failed a doping test, and right then and there Taurasi's life began feeling as if it weren't her own. Modafinil was the name of the drug she had allegedly ingested. It was a stimulant. And how did Taurasi know that? Only, she says, by looking it up on Google. Before that, she didn't know what it was. All she was sure of was that she hadn't taken the drug, notoriously misused by college students to stay awake.

The Phoenix Mercury has suspended guard Diana Taurasi for two games without pay after she was cited on charges related to drunk driving. In a release Thursday, the team said Taurasi was suspended "for conduct detrimental to the team." Taurasi will miss Saturday's game against Detroit and Wednesday's game against Minnesota. Taurasi faces three charges, including extreme DUI, in a July 2 incident.

At least Thursday began as a good day for Sparks forward Candace Parker. The WNBA announced that she won the most-valuable-player award in the early evening. It was downhill from there, as the Sparks lost, 86-75, to the Phoenix Mercury in Game 1 of the first round of the playoffs at Staples Center later that night. So much for a celebration. "We let it slip away," Parker said after scoring a team-high 28 points and grabbing eight rebounds. In front of an announced crowd of 8,500, including boxing champion Floyd Mayweather Jr. and Lakers guard Jodie Meeks, the Sparks fell apart in the third quarter.

'He's kind of old and he needs some fashion advice, but we'll have him ready for next year.' -- Diana Taurasi Phoenix guard, on 68-year-old Coach Paul Westhead, who wore mismatched shoes in the Mercury's WNBA finals victory Saturday

Diana Taurasi scored a WNBA record 47 points Thursday night to lead the Phoenix Mercury to a 111-110 triple-overtime win over the Houston Comets in the highest-scoring game in league history. Taurasi broke Katie Smith's record of 46 points that she set in 2001 against the Sparks while playing for Minnesota. Taurasi wasn't around for the end as she fouled out with 2:45 left in the second overtime, just 35 seconds after she broke the mark.

At least Thursday began as a good day for Sparks forward Candace Parker. The WNBA announced that she won the most-valuable-player award in the early evening. It was downhill from there, as the Sparks lost, 86-75, to the Phoenix Mercury in Game 1 of the first round of the playoffs at Staples Center later that night. So much for a celebration. "We let it slip away," Parker said after scoring a team-high 28 points and grabbing eight rebounds. In front of an announced crowd of 8,500, including boxing champion Floyd Mayweather Jr. and Lakers guard Jodie Meeks, the Sparks fell apart in the third quarter.

LONDON -- With smiles on their faces and gold medals hanging from their necks, Diana Taurasi gathered Tamika Catchings and Sue Bird together late Saturday night at North Greenwich Arena. The three shook hands. Who knows what time and upcoming talent will do to the pact the players made to return for a fourth Olympics at the 2016 Rio de Janeiro Games? But this much is as clear and convincing as the U.S. women's basketball team's 86-50 victory over France: What a run it is. "I usually don't get very emotional when we win," Taurasi said.

When: 7:30. Where: Staples Center. On the air: Internet: WNBA.com. Records: Sparks 1-1, Mercury 0-1. Record vs. Mercury (2010): 1-4. Update: This game pits Candace Parker, the 2008 WNBA most valuable player, against Diana Taurasi, the 2009 MVP. Three of the teams' five meetings last season were decided by one point. When the Western Conference rivals met in May for an exhibition, the Sparks won, 83-72. Parker leads the Sparks with 15 points and 8.5 rebounds per game.

It was as if Diana Taurasi had stepped through a wildly unpredictable looking glass. Last December, the women's basketball star received a phone call from her team in Turkey telling her she had failed a doping test, and right then and there Taurasi's life began feeling as if it weren't her own. Modafinil was the name of the drug she had allegedly ingested. It was a stimulant. And how did Taurasi know that? Only, she says, by looking it up on Google. Before that, she didn't know what it was. All she was sure of was that she hadn't taken the drug, notoriously misused by college students to stay awake.

For (WNBA) openers Defending champion: The Seattle Storm finished last season with a 28-6 record and swept each of its playoffs opponents — the Sparks, Phoenix Mercury and Atlanta Dream. Top players: Diana Taurasi, Phoenix Mercury — A five-time All-Star and two-time WNBA champion, she led the league in scoring last season with an average of 22.6 points. Candace Parker, Sparks — The 2008 most valuable player and rookie of the year was averaging a career-high 20.6 points and 10.1 rebounds before sustaining a season-ending shoulder injury.

Diana Taurasi insists she did nothing wrong. The former Connecticut basketball star says she hadn't even heard of the banned stimulant modafinil until she found out she had tested positive for it. And no matter what those results showed, Taurasi is adamant that she never used performance-enhancing drugs. "I've never needed anything to help me. Only thing that I'm guilty of is taking too many jump shots," she told the Associated Press by telephone from her parents' home in Chino.

Diana Taurasi of the Phoenix Mercury walked away with the WNBA's award for rookie of the year Monday. She became the second No. 1 overall draft pick to win the award. Chamique Holdsclaw of Washington did it in 1999. Among rookies, Taurasi was first in scoring (17.0 average) and second in rebounds (4.4) and assists (3.9). She led Phoenix, 8-26 last year, to a 17-17 record.

Each of the Sparks' three previous games against Phoenix this season had been decided by a single point. On Tuesday, it wasn't even close. After falling into an early 20-point hole, the Sparks never came closer than six as the Mercury won, 98-89, at Staples Center. "Same old story," Sparks Coach Jennifer Gillom said. "We always miss that one quarter." Phoenix (7-11) came out shooting, making 60% of its shots in the first quarter to take a commanding 30-10 lead.